


Talk to Me

by Nancy_Alix



Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25870696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nancy_Alix/pseuds/Nancy_Alix
Summary: A report that crosses Frank’s desk causes him consternation about his eldest.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Talk to Me

Good morning, Baker,” Frank Reagan offered to his assistant as he headed into his office. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“Good morning, sir,” she answered as she gathered several folders and followed him. “You have a meeting with Chief Kimora at eleven and lunch at one with Monsignor Donahue.” She set the files on his desk as she took his overcoat and hung it on the coat rack. “Reports on shooting qualification trends, the HNT Certifications, updates on the PAL program, and several civilian complaints that Lieutenant Gormley thought you should be aware of.”

“Thank you, Baker. Remind me about 10:30 to look at the upcoming training schedule before Chief Kimora arrives.” Frank accepted the coffee cup she handed him before she left the office, and turned his attention to the files.

He was only about halfway through his cup of coffee before he set it down and tapped the intercom. “Baker, please contact Detective Reagan and tell him to get himself over here forthwith.” He sat for a moment, drawing in a deep breath. He knew that it would be between ten and twenty minutes before his son arrived. Time enough to make a phone call or two and get more information. 

Nineteen minutes later, there was a knock at his door, and Baker cracked it open. “Sir, Detective Reagan is here, per your request.”

“Let’s have him,” Frank replied, setting down the file he held. “Detective,” he greeted as the younger man stepped into the office, keeping his voice and eyes even.

“Commissioner,” his eldest responded, somewhat warily, stopping before the big desk. Frank gave no invitation to sit, and watched the activity going on behind the detective’s eyes. He knew well that his son was trying to discern the reason for the summons - what had happened, what accusation had been made, what action may or may not have been misinterpreted. 

Frank took a sheet from the file before him and put it, facing outward, on the far side of the desk. “Would you care to explain this?”

The other man stepped forward, took the sheet of paper and perused it. “Explain what?” And after a moment, “Sir.”

Frank raised an eyebrow. “Why your name is on that list.” 

“Is there a reason it shouldn’t be?” was the answer he received as the other man returned the paper to the desk.

Sitting back in his chair, Frank took his glasses off and put them on the desk. The word “insubordination” crossed his mind, but he knew this was as much his doing as anything.

“Is there a reason this wasn’t brought to my attention before?”

“Does everyone on this list receive an interrogation from the commissioner?” was countered back to him calmly.

Frank steepled his fingers on the folder, and contemplated his son. There was an understanding in the family that there was no favoritism, no hooks, from his office to his family. An understanding that they may be subject to a higher level of scrutiny. 

“No,” he answered finally, then smiled. “Have a seat, Danny.”

A confused look crossed his son’s face, but he did as asked. 

Frank reached across the desk and took the sheet of paper back. Putting his glasses back on, he took the sheet back and looked at it, then at his eldest. “Hostage Negotiating Team?”

Danny shrugged, looking uncomfortable for the first time. “Seemed like a good opportunity.” 

Frank’s eyes narrowed on him. He always knew when he wasn’t getting the whole truth out of his children. Danny was probably the hardest to read, though; he’d been that way since childhood. 

The younger Reagan sat back in the visitor’s chair. “I have a skill set. I’ve been successful at talking down jumpers and other people who’ve wanted to kill themselves.” He paused, and Frank knew they were both thinking of the same incident, the Army veteran whose PTSD drove him to the edge of a roof. Frank had never questioned the report that the vet was coming down, and then slipped to his death. “I’ve talked a radical woman out of the bomb remote that would have killed her, her son, and taken out half a city block.” Frank remembered that well, watching it happen live via video, his own heart in his throat as his son stood next to the bomb-laden vehicle. “I coaxed a principal at the end of his rope with the violence in his school out of holding a dozen or so kids hostage. Then there was Billy Flood in the bank....”

Frank bit back a growl at the memory. Danny was effective at resolving the situation, but it caused a good bit of conflict as an internal issue. One that had come up several times.

And as much as he could read his kids, it was obvious that they could read him, too. “Yep, skill set, but frequently not in the right, within-protocol position to use it.” His son smiled. “So, since the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammad, Mohammad went to the mountain. I reached out to Lieutenant Zimmerman to get his input.”

Frank had been rather surprised to learn that when he spoke with the head of the Hostage Negotiation Team a half hour or so ago.

_“Commissioner, if I’d known he was interested in doing this before he came to me, I would have snatched him up in a heartbeat,” Zimmerman had told him. “I didn’t want to make the approach to him, in case someone thought I was trying to get a hook into 1PP. From everything I’d heard, he had some very good skill at doing this, and I saw it firsthand in our training classes. He really plays out our motto of ‘talk to me’.”_

_“I know his - involvement - has upset the apple cart at times, especially with members of your team,” Frank had answered._

_“I can’t argue with that, sir. And I know that’s at least part of the reason he came to me. He’s got a real passion for helping people, and is really looking for a way to do that without being a tack in the ass.” Zimmerman paused, and Frank heard a heaviness between them. “One of the other reasons I said yes - why I wanted him for the team - is that he understands the pain.”_

_Frank drew a deep, quiet breath as the lieutenant continued. “His military service alone gives him common ground with a number of our at-risk vets, our PTSD cases. But - “ Zimmerman hesitated. “Losing his brother in the line of duty carries weight with other officers at risk. And losing his house, his wife - “ The lieutenant stopped there, as if not sure how to proceed._

_“But he’s been able to move forward,” Frank finished._

_“He told me he went to counseling after his wife’s death,” Zimmerman picked up. “Being able to say that truthfully to someone who wants to end it all, who sees no way out - it can make a world of difference. And that his family was there for him - something we sometimes need to remind those in crisis of.”_

_“He did well in training?” Frank knew all of his children did well when they applied themselves, but this was a whole other ball of wax._

_“I shouldn’t say this, Commissioner, but he was in the top of the class. He even shared some street-learned ideas that helped others in training.” The lieutenant gave a small chuckle. “Sir, the NYPD is damn lucky to have officers like him.”_

_“So his past - challenges didn’t give you second thoughts or cause a problem?”_

_“I admit, I wasn’t sure on that at first. So I told him he had to have a sign-off from 1PP. I honestly figured that would come from you. So I was a bit surprised when it came from Lieutenant Gormley.”_

_“Danny’s old CO.” Frank wasn’t sure if he was miffed that Danny went to Gormley or pleased that he did._

_“That’s what he said. And Sid couldn’t have approved more. Said he’d been witness to a call where the girl was going to kill someone then herself. That he had what it took, and more. And that pretty much everything you hear is smoke and nonsense, and even some payback.”_

_Frank knew there had been both issues and direct attacks on his son’s reputation, but appreciated the way Gormley handled it._

“That’s what he told me when I talked to him.” Danny’s eyebrows went up at that. “You went to Sid when he wanted 1PP’s approval?”

“I knew that wasn’t a standard request when applying for the team. But since Sarge - I mean, since Lieutenant Gormley had been my CO, and sat with me when the girl wanted to kill the drunk driver who had killed her parents, and then herself - I figured he could give me my best reference.” Danny gave his half-smile, with a tilt of his head. “Besides, I don’t use a hook at 1PP. Except maybe one that anyone else with a former CO here would have.”

Frank returned the smile. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the dust-up you and your brother had a year or so back?”

Danny shook his head. “No. And, well, yes.”

“Explain.”

Danny sighed. “Back when that whole mess happened, I told Jamie that I wasn’t going to go as far as he will in the department. I figure I’ve hit the ceiling in the NYPD.”

Frank wished he could counter that one, but knew it was quite possibly true. Not to mention - he would really hate to lose one of his best detectives on the street, and someone he could turn to with a sensitive or confidential case without question or concern.

He opened his mouth to say - something - but Danny held a hand up. “So I got to thinking - if I’m where I am, why not try to be the best me I can be, and increase my value to the NYPD.”

Frank smiled at that. 

“And maybe my brother and I can work together better if we’re ever in a situation like that.”

His smile only got broader.

“Any reason you didn’t tell me afterward?”

“Just didn’t think it was that much of a big deal,” his son answered with a shrug.

The knock at the door broke the moment, and Baker poked her head in. “Commissioner? I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s 10:30 and I have the most recent training schedules, as you requested.”

Danny stood. “I need to get back to the squad. We have a lead on that string of bodega robberies.” He stopped for a moment, and turned an even gaze on Frank. “Please don’t say anything about this to my brother or sister. Or Pop. I’d like it to be a surprise for Sunday dinner.”

Frank nodded. As his son stepped toward the door, Frank called out, “Detective - be sure to keep your cell phone charged. I suspect you’re going to be getting calls on a regular basis.”

Baker frowned at him as Danny nodded and slid past her, and into the 14th floor lobby. Frank just smiled at her enigmatically. “The schedules?”


End file.
